Q: How soon does God expect me to share the gospel with non-Christian friends and acquaintances? Am I being disobedient by just building a relationship without talking about Jesus?
A: This dilemma confronts most every Christian at some point. We chat with the neighbors about their kids, make small talk with the barber as he cuts our hair, and joke with the same coworkers by the coffee pot day in and day out. This goes on for years and we wonder, “Was I supposed to talk with them about Christ long ago, or is it best to wait for a perfect opportunity when the conversation turns to spiritual matters?” In response, there are at least two important points to consider.
First, the Bible is replete with examples of believers sharing the gospel with strangers: Peter at Pentecost, Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch, Paul with Lydia in Philippi, Paul in Athens at the Areopagus. The list could go on. There is no requirement of relationship building before sharing the gospel. Satan has happily convinced many timid believers that they should keep quiet until they establish just a bit more rapport. All the while, the people around them teeter on the brink of a Christ-less eternity.
On the other hand, the Bible does not demand that believers turn every conversation to Jesus. Relationship building can be helpful, and 1 Peter 3:1-2 teaches that a godly life helps point others to Christ even in moments when we’re not specifically doing evangelism. There are occasions when it’s OK not to share the gospel. Consider the apostle Paul. He didn’t simply preach Christ as often as time would allow, but spent three years of quiet study in Arabia at the beginning of his ministry (Galatians 1:11-18). Jesus spent 30 years in preparation before He launched His public ministry. Even then, He instructed some people to keep quiet for a time about His identity. And when He ascended back to heaven, He told the disciples to wait until the Holy Spirit had come upon them in power (Acts 1:4). In short, there is no mandate to share the gospel as often as is physiologically possible. You’re not necessarily living in sin because you talked with the Starbucks barista about sports or with the barber about politics.
So how do we know whether we’re being obedient in evangelism? It goes back to the Great Commission. Jesus commanded His followers to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). That is, do something to help move people from being self-centered rebels against God to being joyful disciples of Christ. Are you doing that? You may not be Billy Graham, Jim Elliot, or Corrie ten Boom, but God expects you to do something to call sinners to repent and believe. Share your story of coming to faith in Christ. Give them a book about Christianity and offer to discuss it. Refer them to a website that teaches the Bible. Memorize and share a Gospel presentation. Invite them to an outreach event at your church. But do something.
If you’re doing that already, great. Allow the Holy Spirit to prompt you in moments ripe for a gospel witness, and increase the frequency of your evangelism. If you’re not, don’t let Satan continue to feed you the lie that you dare not mention Jesus until you have a few more conversations with the store clerk about your favorite smart phone apps. God wants to use you to add souls to His Kingdom.